Wildlife conservation tasks at Hillside House, up to 2016

Material for constructing planting mounds (soil and sand) was carted to the poplar planting area. Poplar A17 was transplanted to the revised grid.

Poplars A13 & A09 both given new-style guard etc.

Poplar A11 moved to new position with improved guard (vole and rabbit guard, wire netting, carpet to suppress weed growth, etc).

Poplar reorganisation continues. A further 18 B-group trees removed and scrapped (B09, B10, etc). Alders near SW corner of meadow given new ties.

Poplar reorganisation continues. Several B-group trees were removed and scrapped (B28, B30, B32, B33, B34, B35, B36, B39). Two more field maples already in place just north of the poplar strip were given carpet protection and new stakes (M03, M04).

Frustratingly, many of the scrapped poplars were thriving and in excellent condition. Some, however, showed signs of attack at the base of the main stems by rodents. These trees had all been protected using splittable tree guards but the damage extended well up the stems on one or two trees (inside the guards), too high up for rabbits to be the cause. The most likely culprits are field voles Microtus.

Start of poplar reorganisation after the wrong trees were supplied earlier in 2016. Tree A18 was given new and improved protective guard (intended to stop rabbit damage, prevent roots from drowning, and reduce weed competition). Some of the B-group trees removed and scrapped (B01, B37, B40). Two field maples already in place just north of the poplar strip given new stakes.

All brash from the third and fourth ash trees now processed -- two brash piles completed.

Processing of brash from the third and fourth ash trees south-west of the pond continues. All four trees showed symptoms of ash die-back. The picture shows the 'lesions' associated with the disease. Twigs affected in this way usually have no leaves and thus become quite obvious in the early summer, when the rest of the tree will be in full leaf. Any bark left on affected twigs is often orange or dark purplish brown, whereas healthy twigs are usually a clear greenish grey.

The third and fourth ashes (of 4) immediately south-west of the pond were taken down and partially processed. Ring-counts indicated the trees were, like the others, about 19 or 20 years old.

These are the last trees that need to come down in order to increase light reaching the pond. This looks like a rather drastic measure but the trees were likely doomed anyway, and the pond should now become much healthier.

Upcycling -- with a difference! The brash from the second tree was incorporated into a new mammal lodge just west of the pond. This is designed to be attractive to hedgehogs, a species that seems to be absent from the plot. Pictures on the second gallery show the stages -- 1) an old plastic sheet was laid on the ground, 2) rough 'walls' were created for the main chamber, log-cabin style, with entrance tunnels made from scraps bits of ducting etc, 3) some dry(ish) leaves were placed in the chamber, 4) a roof was added, 5) brash was piled on top.

Second ash (of 4) immediately south-west of the pond was taken down and partially processed. Ring-count indicated this tree was about 19 or 20 years old. Aim is now to get the last two trees down by the end of the year.

General maintenance -- start of transplanting of sea buckthorn from SE edge of meadow to sunnier places. Three moved to hedgebank W of pond. The size disparity between those already there and the new ones was very clear. Some alders re-tied etc. Track along west side of meadow partially scythed. An oak moved to plant pot.

Five birches (planted on the meadow under the 2013 Woodland Trust agreement) removed and scrapped (to prevent them from colonising the reedbed).

One ash immediately south-west of the pond was taken down and processed. From ring-count this tree proved to be about 22 years old.

The main aim of removing this tree is to increase sunlight to the pond, though the smaller branches and twigs showed strong evidence of die-back infection and the tree was unlikely to survive long anyway. Typical symptoms were described by Oliver Husar, a local tree-surgeon, on a recent visit (lesions, often near stem nodes, dry, fragile twigs, which are often purple-brown; infected trees tend to produce a lot of epicormic shoots on small branches and there may be unusual amounts of adventitious seed production). Most of the remaining ash trees on the plot show these symptoms. Sadly, evidence from elsewhere in Norfolk suggests that, once infected, trees will fail.

Laurel plants (obtained bareroot spring 2016 and planted alongside eastern edge of plot) protected with wire-netting guards. Three Cox's similarly protected with mesh guards.

Remaining laurels obtained bareroot in spring 2016 planted out in final positions alongside eastern edge of plot. This hedge is now essentially complete, though an old sycamore stump will need removing at some point by grinding or digging to make space for two more laurels.

Four laurel plants, obtained bareroot in spring 2016, planted out in final positions alongside eastern edge of plot (approx.12 more to do).

First 4 laurel plants moved to final positions alongside eastern edge of plot.

A visit to two sites not far from S. Raynham where native black poplars are known.

The Roslin DNA profile testing showed that one of the A-group trees (A02, pictured elsewhere on this site) matched a tree sampled by Ken Adams and Cliff Carson at Burwell near Newmarket. Access was difficult, but at least 2, perhaps 3, trees at Burwell electricity substation were located showing characteristics typical of P.n.betulifolia. Nearby were numerous trees thought to be hybrid poplars.

At Icklingham near Thetford are some famous native black poplars, mentioned by Rackham. Sadly two or three of them seem to have fallen fairly recently as the remains are still lying close to the survivng trees.

Small leaf samples from these trees suggest that one useful field indicator might be petiole length. Mean petiole length of leaves from the "hybrid" trees was over 60 mm, whereas petioles of leaves from the "natives" averaged less than 50 mm.

Initial fingerprinting results came back from Stuart A'Hara at Roslin.

The A group plants are, as expected, good P.n.betulifolia, more precisely clone 25 (a male clone).

Unfortunately the B group plants are a mixture and none of them match known betulifolia clones. They will have to be removed this autumn.

Poplar samples sent off to Forest Research at Roslin for DNA fingerprinting. (To identify clones in whips planted 2014 and 2015).

Poplar survival status on the meadow logged (~80% survival of trees planted in 2015/16 winter, but most thought to be probably hybrids).

Emailed Ken Adams (expert on poplar identification) to ask for advice on proving provenance of poplars planted on the meadow.

[First Norfolk Bat Survey session, near pond.]

Blackbird pulli (3) in Pyracantha nest by shed ringed by Gary Elton.

Small tit box installed on sycamore by shed. Spotted flycatcher box fixed to western wall of H.H. (Two more boxes to install this season, otherwise finished)

Small tit box installed in goat willow west edge of pond.

The last two small nestboxes (spotted flycatcher and small tit), the repaired starling box, and two bat boxes were collected together for installation work.

The bat boxes were installed on two separate ash trees near the pond. The starling box was put up on the north end of the shed, facing out over a grassy area.

Groundwork for the earth bank near the pond was completed.

A few small trees temporarily planted out by the pond (rowan, oak etc.) were lifted for replanting in the new hedgebank.

Four trees were moved with the hired digger. Two field maples planted at MNW were moved to new locations in order to partially replace cypresses taken down in 2015. A hornbeam was moved from the edge of the pond to a position closer to H.H. (see picture). One of the Scots pines planted in 2014 was also moved by 1 metre as it had become unstable (probably having been undermined by rabbits). The digger helps to limit the shock of transplanting (see next picture).

(continued). Using a digger for transplanting should help to limit the trauma to the plant by minimising disturbance of the rootball soil. Picture shows the roots of a hornbeam.

Finally, finally, all barn owl box mods completed. Apart from fixings, the components for this box came almost entirely from miscellaneous scrap materials, including odd bits and pieces of plywood, some 'mermaid' board offcuts, and some old unused brass hinges.

The box was installed on a large hybrid poplar along the southern edge of the boundary of the meadow (see picture). In the afternoon, after the box was up, an owl flew past quite close to the tree, though it wasn't seen to inspect the box.

The kestrel box previously installed in an ash tree at top blackthorn during 2015 was rotated by ~180 degrees so that it faces E or ENE, away from the prevailing wind.

Spindle whip and hazel whip planted in new hedge section under hybrid poplars, of east of pond. Four native black poplar planted in patch on meadow immediately NE of pond (pictured).

More cutting of reed patch at MSE.

Rowan moved from cut area to edge of plot near pond. Spindle (2) plus hazel moved to new hedge section along S. edge of the meadow. Three birches from shed area scrapped, three more from cut area scrapped. Edge of fallen goat willow along S. edge of meadow cut back and cuttings placed on reed cutting stack.

Tree-fallers hired by Raynham Farm Co Ltd took down the three remaining large cypresses near to the western boundary of H.H. The three trees were down within about 75 minutes, almost exactly where required. The leafy brash will be burned but the smaller poles (cord) will be saved for habitat piles.

These trees were planted in the early 1980s, perhaps by a previous owner of Hillside House for the purpose of screening off the house from the old allotments, which are adjacent. The trees had reached a height of more than 20 metres and posed a genuine threat to the house, also to plants in the garden, especially a box tree. Part of one tree blew down into H.H. garden during a storm in spring 2015 and destroyed the washing line, among other things.

The choice of this species (probably 'Leylandi') was an opportunity missed. If an alternative such as holly had been chosen, the trees would never have reached such excessive heights. Admittedly holly would have been much slower-growing, but the trees would not have needed to be felled after just a few years. Furthermore, holly would have provided food for thrushes etc. Hopefully the craze for planting cypresses of this general type has passed.

During Mr Cooper's visit on 12/10/2015, the condition of two Scots pines was also considered. These are approximately 5 years old and about 4 metres tall and show extensive yellowing of needles on older growth, though the current year's growth still looks quite vigorous.

The two trees were bought from a garden centre as pot-plants in 2014 and the shortening gaps between successive branch whorls suggests they had become pot-bound by the time of planting out. The two affected trees both grew slowly in the first season after planting. During the 2015 season, though, they accelerated, presumably as the roots became established and started to penetrate into new fresh soil. Mr Cooper said one possible cause of yellowing needles is a fungus called Lophodermium. It is indigenous here and has not come in from abroad, unlike things like ash die-back.

Some other Scots pines that were obtained from a different source also show yellowing needles, but this is on growth of two or more seasons back, suggesting that they might be healthier. On these other trees, growth from 2014 and 2015 is still green (see picture). The inter-node gaps are also much more uniform indicating they had not become pot-bound before planting out. Note that, even on healthy pine trees, old needles will always fall off at some point -- there are no needles on the main stem of a large tree.

OCV (Oxford Conservation Volunteers) moved 44 young trees from the damp reedfen area to a drier strip on the west side of the plot. Some trees were probably already 3 metres tall by the time of removal. They were dug up with spades and mattocks, which was hard work (see pictures). Most of these trees were subsequently found in 2015 to have survived so this was a great success.

The aim of the work was to preserve the limited patch of reeds for the benefit of various species (harvest mouse, reed warbler, sedge warbler) but also to create a new woodland spinney or strip.

The lifted trees were moved to their new locations with a wheelbarrow and then replanted. The picture shows Tim (OCV Chairman) planting an alder.